Court declines to declare Movit owner of land occupied by prison

Wakiso, Uganda | URN | The High Court in Entebbe has declined to grant Movit Products Limited an early judgment declaring it the lawful owner of about 32 acres of disputed land in Sazi Buwaya, Wakiso District, ruling that the ownership dispute must proceed to a full trial.

In a ruling delivered by Lady Justice Flavia Nabakooza, the court dismissed Movit’s application for judgment on admission, finding that the evidence presented did not amount to a clear and unconditional admission by the government that the company exclusively owns the land or that the Uganda Prisons Service is trespassing on it.

The application arose from Civil Suit No. 395 of 2024, in which Movit sued the Attorney General over land comprised in Busiro Block 536, Plot Numbers 1677, 1678 and 1679, measuring approximately 32 acres. The company had asked the court to enter judgment in its favour based on a report by the Ministry of Lands indicating that the three plots are registered in Movit’s name.

Movit also sought declarations that it is the lawful owner of the land, that the Uganda Prisons Service is trespassing on the property, an eviction order against the government agency, a permanent injunction restraining further occupation, and costs of the application. However, Justice Nabakooza held that the Ministry of Lands report only confirmed the registration status of the titles and did not amount to an admission that Movit was entitled to exclusive possession of the land.

She noted that a judgment on admission can only be entered where the admission is “plain, clear, unambiguous and unconditional,” leaving no issue for trial. Although the Registrar of Titles confirmed that the certificates of title for the three plots remain active and are registered in the names of Movit Products Uganda Limited, the judge found that the report did not resolve competing claims over the land.

“The fact that the Respondent, in its defence, claims that its agent has an interest in the said land adds to that,” Justice Nabakooza ruled, observing that the government’s defence raises issues that require evidence at a full hearing. The court also noted that the dispute is linked to another pending case, Civil Suit FD No. 019 of 2025 (formerly No. 415 of 2024), filed by Damulira Chibby against the Attorney General and 23 others.

According to the ruling, that case contains competing claims over the same property, including allegations regarding the distribution and transfer of the estate of the late Damulira Bulazi. Justice Nabakooza held that the existence of the related litigation meant there was no unequivocal admission of ownership or liability that would justify bypassing a full trial.

Movit had argued that investigations conducted by the Attorney General, including the Ministry of Lands report dated November 13, 2025, had conclusively established its ownership of the three plots and that allowing the matter to proceed to trial would unnecessarily delay justice. The Attorney General opposed the application, maintaining that the report merely reflected registration details and did not concede that Movit had exclusive ownership rights or that the Uganda Prisons Service was unlawfully occupying the land.

The court agreed with the government’s position, dismissed the application, and directed that costs would be determined in the main suit. The substantive case, now registered as Entebbe Civil Suit No. 0256 of 2025 arising from the original HCCS No. 395 of 2024, will return to court for mention on September 24, 2026. The wider dispute concerns approximately 202 acres of land in Sazi Buwaya, with Movit claiming ownership of several plots, including the 32 acres that were the subject of the unsuccessful application.